Camper-bumper compartment and step

ABSTRACT

A spare tire mount for a vehicle having a chassis including a pair of longitudinal frame members of channel section. The tire mount is of box-like formation incorporated in the vehicle structure in a manner which adds to the utility of the vehicle, protects the same from damage liable to be sustained by accidental collision with a following vehicle, and which provides means for carrying extra tires, tools, baggage and the like, which are also protected by the box-like structure.

Unite States Patent 91 Davis [54] CAMPER-BUMPER COMPARTMENT AND STEP[76] Inventor: Arlyn W. Davis, Rt. No. 2, PO. Box

228, Sheridan, Oreg.

[22] Filed: Dec. 31, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 103,030

[52] US. Cl ..224/42.06, 224/42.03 A [51] Int. Cl. ..B60r 9/06 [58]Field of Search ..224/42.06, 42.03 A,

224/42.04, 42.05, 42.07, 42.41, 42.23; 293/69 R, 73; 296/37 R, 37.2, 30R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,471,070 10/1969 Olson..224/42.04 1,729,663 10/1929 Martin ..296/30 1 May 8,1973

Ragan ..224/42.23 X Johannes ..224/42.04 X

Primary ExaminerGerald M. Forlenza Assistant ExaminerLawrence J. OreskyAtt0rney-James D. Givnan [57] ABSTRACT A spare tire mount for a vehiclehaving a chassis including a pair of longitudinalframe members ofchannel section. The tire mount is of box-like formation incorporated inthe vehicle structure in a manner which adds to the utility of thevehicle, protects the same from damage liable to be sustained byaccidental collision with a following vehicle, and which provides meansfor carrying extra tires, tools, baggage and the like, which are alsoprotected by the box-like structure.

1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTED-HAY' 8 I915 3. 73 1 60 5 4| j IARLYN W. DAVIS BY 26 gm 27 INVENTOR.

This invention relates to a tire mount as above 7 described whoseobjects are:

To provide a box-like unitary structure welded or bolted to, anddepending from, the rearward end of a vehicle chassis and extendingrearwardly therefrom a sufficient distance to provide a bumper structureincluding a trailer hitch component intermediate the ends of the bumperand a closure for the rearward end of the box-like structure.

To provide a spare tire mount capable of supporting a spare tire firmlyagainst rattling and displacement, yet which will render the spare tireaccessible for easy removal.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof and inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a spare tire mount made in accordance withmy invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of FIG. 1 with the spare tire and wheelremoved, and

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of FIG. 2 showing a modified form ofclosure for the tire mount structure.

With continuing reference to the drawing wherein like reference numeralsdesignate like parts, numerals 1 and 2 indicate the rear end portion ofa vehicle chassis having parallel frame members of channel section asbest shown in FIG. 2.

The tire mount proper comprises a box-like structure consisting of abottom wall 3, a front wall 4, and parallel side walls 5 and 6 welded orotherwise secured to the outside of the webs 7 and 8 of the channelframe members 1 and 2.

Similar channel sections 9 and 10 are secured to the bottom outsidemarginal portions of the side walls 5 and 6, and extend laterally as atl 1 and 12 (FIGS. 1 and 2) then forwardly as at 13 and 14. A rearwardextension 15 of the bottom wall 3 provides a step-plate having a centralopening 16 therethrough to accommodate a ball member or similar couplingcomponent of a trailer hitch, not shown. The lateral and forwardlyextending channel members 11-12 and 13-14 are reinforced by topcoverplates 17-18, and vertical wraparound cover strips 19-20, and bydiagonal trusses 22-23 welded at their rearward end to the lateralextensions 11-12 and at their forward end to the channel members 9 and10 intermediate the ends thereof. Still further reinforcement isprovided by wall members 24-25 welded to the rear edges of the coverplates 17-18.

The inner end portion of each top cover plate 17-18 extends downwardlyas at 26-27 and is welded across its bottom edge to the end of the stepplate 15. Further 2 reinforcement is provided by welding the gusset-likeinner end portions 28-29 of the vertical wrap around cover strips 19-20to the rearward vertical edges of the downwardly extending portions26-27 of the cover plates 17-18.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a rear wall for the boxlike structure is madeof two parts 32-33 with the end of the one part 32 hingedly attached asat 34 to the rear end of the side wall 5 and to the inner end of plate24.

The 0 osite end of art 32 is hin edl attached as at 35 to p e inner endf part 33 wh ose opposite end is provided with a latch 37 selectivelyengageable with a vertical slot (not shown) near the rearward edge ofthe side wall 6. From the foregoing, and with particular reference toFIG. 1, it will be apparent that after releasing the latch 37, both doorparts can be swung to the broken line position of collapse about thecenter hinge 35 as it swings along the broken line arcuate path as thepart 32 swings about hinge 34.

In the modification shown in FllG. 3, a unitary door 40 is hingedlysuspended as at 41 from a rod 42 secured at both its ends to the rearedges of the side walls 5 and 6. A bolt 43 dropped through an aperture(not shown) in the step plate can be used as a detent to keep the doorclosed.

What I claim is:

l. A spare tire mount for a vehicle having a chassis including a pair ofspaced apart longitudinal frame members of channel section,

a box-like structure comprising a bottom wall, side walls, and a frontend wall,

all of said walls permanently secured to each other,

means securing said side walls to said chassis frame members,

said bottom wall extending rearwardly from said side walls,

a pair of channel sections secured to said side walls along the bottomedges thereof and coextensive in length with said bottom wall,

said last mentioned channel sections extending laterally from saidbox-like structure and bent forwardly at their outer ends,

truss members interconnecting said channel frame sections and saidlaterally extending portions thereof,

said box-like structure, including a normally coplanar two-piece rearwall,

one of said rear wall pieces hingedly attached along its outer edge tothe rearward edge of one of said side walls,

the other piece of said two-piece rear wall having a latch memberattached thereto and selectively engageable with the other of said :sidewalls for maintaining said rear wall closed, and

means hingedly interconnecting the inner adjacent edges of both of saidrear wall pieces.

1. A spare tire mount for a vehicle having a chassis including a pair ofspaced apart longitudinal frame members of channel section, a box-likestructure comprising a bottom wall, side walls, and a front end wall,all of said walls permanently secured to each other, means securing saidside walls to said chassis frame members, said bottom wall extendingrearwardly from said side walls, a pair of channel sections secured tosaid side walls along the bottom edges thereof and coextensive in lengthwith said bottom wall, said last mentioned channel sections extendinglaterally from said box-like structure and bent forwardly at their outerends, truss members interconnecting said channel frame sections and saidlaterally extending portions thereof, said box-like structure, includinga normally coplanar two-piece rear wall, one of said rear wall pieceshingedly attached along its outer edge to the rearward edge of one ofsaid side walls, the other piece of said two-piece rear wall having alatch member attached thereto and selectively engageable with the otherof said side walls for maintaining said rear wall closed, and meanshingedly interconnecting the inner adjacent edges of both of said rearwall pieces.